1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to athletic equipment, more particularly to an athletic glove for improving a person's ability to grip or otherwise handle a piece of sports equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many sports and occupations require gloves for hand protection. Not only is hand protection important, but dexterity and comfort are needed as well. In addition, certain uses of gloves subject them to extensive wear and movement, which, in turn, create a need for durability, stretchability, and flexibility. Certain applications also require excellent gripping characteristics, such as sports that require skillful and adept handling of sports equipment (e.g., balls, bats, sticks and clubs).
Many prior art, athletic or sports gloves have attempted to introduce various innovations so as to enhance the ability of one who wears such gloves to grip and control a piece of sports equipment. These innovations include the incorporation into sports gloves of various types of strategically-located materials, such as neoprene—U.S. Pat. No. (USPN) 3,096,523, knitted stretch yarn gloves with thin, pliable leather portions—USPN 2,907,046, a sewn leather glove with a tackified outer surface—U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,832, vinyl rubber pads having finlike grippers—U.S. Patent Publication No. (USPPN) 2007/0209097, desensitizing elements which attempt to train the hand to develop a heightened sense of touch—U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,242, and an assortment of gloves that have spandex-like back of the hand portions and polyester palms.
None of these prior art gloves utilize materials on the inside of the gloves that seek to heightened a user's sense of touch as a means of enhancing a user's ability to grip and control a piece of sports equipment.
Thus, despite an abundance of sports gloves in the marketplace, there is still a need for an improved sports glove that will further enhance a user's ability to grip and control a piece of sports equipment.